Libraries opening hours for winter
The Christmas vacation and inter-semester break are coming up, so to try to help you plan-ahead, our revised opening hours can be found below. These include some additional opening hours at sites on the North Haugh during the revision period, as well as our shorter opening times during the break, and our Christmas closures.
Please be aware that we are in the process of updating the Library Management System, including library search, with the new system going live in January 2025. Access to electronic resources, including reading lists, will remain unaffected during this time. There will, however, be some limitations on physical borrowing between 24 December and 12 January. As always, we’d encourage any users wanting to borrow physical items over the break to plan ahead, and check them out earlier in December. More information about the update can be found here.
We know that there can be a lot to juggle during the winter break. If you have children and think you might need to bring them to the library, this is absolutely fine for a short visit. However, we do ask that you not bring children into library buildings for longer periods of time. Please take a look at our FAQ for more info.
Butts Wynd
Study space and PC classrooms will remain available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, throughout the break. These spaces are available to all library users via swipe card access.
Main Library
Now until Sunday 22 December: 8am to 2am, Monday–Friday; 8am to 10pm Saturday–Sunday
Monday 23 December: 8am to 10pm
Tuesday 24 December – Friday 3 January: CLOSED
Saturday 4 January – Sunday 26 January: 8am to 10pm
Monday 27 January onwards: Term time hours will resume
St Mary’s and King James Libraries
Now until Friday 20 December: 9am to 1am, Monday–Friday; 8.30am to 9.30pm Saturday–Sunday
Saturday 21 – Monday 23 December: 9am to 9pm
Tuesday 24 December – Friday 3 January: CLOSED
Sat 4 – Sunday 26 January: 9am to 1am, Monday–Friday; 8.30am to 9.30pm Saturday–Sunday
Monday 27 January onwards: Term time hours will resume
JF Allen Library
Now until Friday 29 November: 9am to 5pm Monday–Friday
Saturday 30 November – Sunday 15 December: 9am to 9pm Monday–Friday; 9am to 5pm Saturday–Sunday.
Monday 16 – Monday 23 December: 9am to 5pm, Monday–Friday
Tuesday 24 December – Sunday 5 January: CLOSED
Monday 6 January onwards: 9am to 5pm, Monday–Friday
Library at the Gateway
Now until Friday 29 November: 9am to 9pm Monday–Friday
Saturday 30 November – Sunday 15 December: 9am to 9pm Monday–Friday; 9am to 5pm Saturday–Sunday.
Monday 16 – Monday 23 December: 9am to 9pm, Monday–Friday
Tuesday 24 December – Sunday 5 January: CLOSED
Monday 6 – Sunday 26 January: 9am to 5pm, Monday–Friday
Monday 27 January onwards: 9am to 9pm, Monday–Friday
Thomson Reading Room, in Martyrs Kirk – available to postgraduate students and University staff only
Now until Friday 20 December: 8:30am to 1:30am Monday–Friday; 8.30am to 12 midnight Saturday–Sunday
Saturday 21 – Monday 23 December: 8:30am to 8:30pm
Tuesday 24 – Thursday 26 December: CLOSED
Friday 27 – Tuesday 31 December: 8am to 10pm
Wednesday 1 – Friday 3 January: CLOSED
Saturday 4 – Sunday 26 January: 8:30am to 8:30pm 7 days a week
Monday 27 January onwards: Term time hours will resume
Walter Bower House Reading Room
Now until Monday 23 December: 9am to 5pm, Monday–Friday
Tuesday 24 December – Sunday 5 January: CLOSED
Monday 6 January onwards: 9am to 5pm, Monday–Friday
You can view the full University semester dates online, but it might be useful to note that the Christmas vacation officially starts on Saturday 21 December 2024. Week 1 of Semester 2 begins Monday 27 January 2025.
All of our current hours, including Help Desk availability at the Main Library, are shown on the library spaces page. If you have any queries, please email [email protected] or get in touch via the library chat.